The Business of Apologising
by personalitynumberseven
Summary: A drabble on the Fab Four and their personalities. No particular pairings, and only very mild references to the plotlines. : K for um, sex and alcohol. ONE WORD.


Chuck Bass doesn't apologise. It's not his nature, never has and never will be. When he hurts someone, which is often, they usually aren't important enough for him to stop and care for. His father never stopped for him, so why should he? People don't expect an alcoholic, sex-craved bastard to apologise, and Chuck has been taught that expectations are all you have to fulfil.

That's why, when he's hurt someone that he loves, he doesn't know how to tell them that he's sorry, that he didn't mean to do it, and he won't do it again. His mouth clams up as they look at him expectantly, hoping, hoping that maybe he'll change. But just when he's about to pick up the courage to say the words, their eyes fall in disappointment, and the downcast looks and retreating backs just serve to show him that he didn't need to try.

Still, he wishes that one day, there'll be someone that can wait long enough for him to open his mouth, and finally say "I'm sorry."

Blair Waldorf doesn't apologise. She doesn't need to. Her whole life, she has strived for perfection, and perfection is what she is. She doesn't screw up, doesn't make mistakes, doesn't hurt anybody that will matter. The people that she does hurt never end up asking for apologies, so it doesn't matter. People don't ask Blair to apologise, because they know that she didn't make a mistake. It's the way it is.

That's why, when she's hurt someone that actually matters, they don't need her to apologise. It's too much to accept that she's not perfect, that she's not flawless, and they keep their hurt and anger to themselves. When it comes out, eventually, it's too late for her to swallow her pride and say that's she's sorry, and even if she did, the displeasure building up has been too much and the only resultant ending is a big fat messy end.

Still, she's waiting for the person that can tell her "You screwed up", that isn't afraid of arguing with her, that she would never have to worry about keeping up expectations with.

Nate Archibald apologises. He does it all the time, so much that it has lost its meaning for him. All he wants is that people leave him alone, so he tries his best not to give anybody a reason to chase after him. But when you're Nate Archibald, everyone loves you, so much so that incessant apologies turn into the 'perfect gentleman', and he's so used to being everybody's Prince Charming that 'I'm sorry' is just a way of patronizing others.

That's why, when he hurts someone close to him, his apologies don't seem to make any difference, and he feels like he's lost the ability to properly apologise. He doesn't know what else to say, so that's all that comes out of his mouth, until both him and the other person are unable to tell the difference anymore, and both give up because it's too tiring to keep pretending.

Still, what Nate really wants is to be able to convey everything he's thinking with one look, to stop using all the elaborate words and manners that the Upper East Side demands.

Serena Van der Woodsen apologises. She's, perhaps, the one out of the four that apologises wholeheartedly. Being passionate about everything, Serena's always blindly making mistakes, but she regrets with the same passion, and her apologies show how much she's really sorry. People know she's going to screw up, and they don't expect her to be perfect, but they know that she'll bounce back up right away.

That's why, when she's hurt people she loves with all her heart, her heart breaks into pieces for them and she hurts herself over it. But when you've been hurt, over and over again, fervent apologies don't really mean the same anymore, and enough is enough, so the tired people around her start to push back, and stop forgiving these passionate appeals, because all they want her to do is stop.

Still, Serena hasn't found anybody that's fast-paced enough for her, that can calm her down enough to realise that it's okay to take things slower.

Not everyone can say they're sorry, and nobody's perfect. Sometimes, all people need is someone that can take their flaws and balance it out so that they can be a whole. Sometimes, all we really need is love. The fab four may all have problems with apologies, but they're just waiting for the right people to come along, and they might just find it among themselves.

**(A/N: Short-ish piece. Inspired by Alien Altered's _Strength_, and written in a fit of writing frenzy x) I hope you like it though! It's a bit iffy, and I think it might not be completely to the point sometimes, but then again, it's rather rushed, and meant to be a drabble anyway.  
So review! Reader traffic has been good (I think it's the Gossip Girl influence, and nothing to do with my writing) but reviews are the LOVE :) And they make my day, really!)**


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